Feed-cutter



(No Model.)

J. 0. HOLTZMAN.

FEED BUTTER.

Patented Feb. 16

N4 PETERS. Photo-Lflllognphen Washlnglnn. u c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES OLIVER HOLTZMAN, OF BEAVER CREEK, MARYLAND.

FEED-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,320, dated February16, 1886.

Application filed June 12, 1885. Serial No. 108,513. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I. J AMES 0. HOLTZMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Beaver Creek, in the county of \Vashington and State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFeed-Cutters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figuresof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to feed-cutters of that class in which avertically-reciprocat-ingknife and two sets of feed-rollers are actuatedfrom a single crank-shaft, the lower one of such rollers being mountedin fixed bearings, the other in movable bearings; and it consists in thenovel features of constructionand combination of elements more fullyhereinafter set forth and particularly claimed.

Referringto the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a feed-cutterembodying my improvements with a portion ofthe feed-trough broken away.Fig. 2 is a side view with parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a frontelevation. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 00 m, Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6are detail views. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the pawls foroperating the feed rollers, showing their relative positions to theratchets of the rollers when viewed from above. Fig, 8 is a detail Viewshowing the manner of attaching the pitman to the crank-shaft.

The feed-trough A may be of any known construction and shape andsupported upon a frame, B, the forward posts, 0 O, of which are extendedabove the trough and are united by a cross-bar, c, in which a guidehearing or opening, 0, is formed for the purposes presently referred to.

To the inner side of the posts 0 O are attached guides 19, between whichreciprocates an inverted -U-sl1aped frame, D, provided with a knife orcutter blade, d, set obliquely to the parallel sides of the frame togive a draw or shearing cut. A pitman, E, having a bifurcated end, isattached to the blade d and the frame D, and passes through theguideopening 0 in the cross-piece c, and is of a length to extend abovethe cross-piece when the knife-frame is in its lowest position. Across-bar, F, extends between the posts 0 C with its upper side innearly the same plane as the bottom of the trough, and is longitudinallyslotted to permit the passage of the knife-frame, and the slotisprovided on one ofits walls with a cutting-blade, f, to act inconjunction with the blade d to cut the mate; rial.

Suitably journaled to the frameB is alower feed-roller, G, havinglongitudinal serrated blades g, set in grooves formed therein andprojecting from the surface of the roller, which latter is journaled tohave its upper surface nearly on a level with the bottom of thefeedtrough and to work in the space between the cross-bar F and the endof the trough-bottom. This roller is mounted preferably in fixedbearings. Above this roller is a similarlyconstructed upper feed-roller,H, mounted in a frame, I, which is made U shape, its legs working inguide-grooves cut in the sides of the trough, as indicated at a. Theupright legs of the frame I are slotted at i to permit the passage ofthe journals of the roller G, thereby permitting the free verticalmovement of the frame and the roller H,and allowing the latter to bedirectly located over the roller G. A spring, h, attached to the lowerside of the frame I and connected to the frame B,serves to keep theframe I and roller H in a normal position, and permits their yielding tothe bulk of the material passing between the two feed-rollers. Thejournals of the roller H extend through slots a in the sides of thetrough, and to one of these journals is keyed a wheel, J, havingratchet-teeth projecting from its outer face. To the journal of theroller G is keyed aratchet-wheel,K,both ratchet-wheels J and Kbeing onthe outside and same side of the trough. A crank-shaft, L, is suitablymounted on the posts 0 C, and is provided with a crank, Z, and abalance-wheel, L, preferably located on opposite ends of the shaft,although it is evident that either may be dispensed with, and that bothmay be located on the same end of the shaft. A link or rod, M, connectsthis crank-shaft with the upper end of the pitman E. The upper end ofthe pitman E is bent to one side, as indicated at e, to give clearancefor the rod M, and prevent its interfering with the guidebearing a. The

' the plane of the main pawl, which acts diing in the guides b thepitman, rigidly connectcrank-shaft is journaled nearly directly beneaththe cross-piece 0, having the crank Z to one side of the pitman, so thatthe one will not obstruct the effectual working of the other.

By having the knife-supporting frame worked therewith and working in theguide-bearing c, and the crank-shaft in line with the two sets ofguides, or nearly so, the knife will work smoothly without any jarringor rattling, and the friction between the wearing parts is reduced to aminimum. This would not be thecase if the pitman were pivotallyconnected to the knife or knife carrying frame, as at each stroke of theknife the inclination of the pitman would be changed, and the knifewould be forced hard against one side of the guides during thedownstroke, and hard against the other side on the upstroke, thusproducing an uneven wear of the parts and a constant jarring, besidesrequiring a greater expenditure of power to operate the machine. Aplate, N, keyed to the extreme end of the crankshaft, has a longitudinalslot, n, in which is adjustably secured the end of a rod, 0, by a bolt,0. The other end of the rod connects with the crank arm p of the rock-shaft P, which latter is journaled in the frame B, and is provided witha crank-arm, p, to which a pawl, Q, is attached, the latter engaging theteeth on the ratchet-wheel K.

On the outer end of the journal of the roller H is sleeved one end of apawl, R,-having a side lug, r, to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheelJ. A link, R, connects the free end of the pawl R with the main pawl Q.This link extends in the same direction and lies within rectly on theratchet wheel K. By this arrangement the force applied to eachfeedroller is nearly equal, and thepawls act positively and withcertainty, while at the same time provision is made for the rising andfalling of the movable feedroller H.

In practice, motion being imparted to the crankshaft L, the knife isreciprocated vertically by the connections described, and the shaft P isrocked to actuate the pawls Q and R to intermittingly rotate thefeed-rollers H and G. This movement takes place during the upward strokeof the knife-frame, the pawls riding the ratchet-teeth during thedownward movement of the knife-frame, the backward movement of thefeed-rollers being prevented by clicks j and It. By reason of the pawl Bbeing jointed, provision is made for its accommodating itself tothe'position of the feed-roll H. The pawls are so proportioned andarranged that they rotate the rollers an equal distance during theirforward movement, therebyinsuring an even feed. As the feed of therollers depends upon the amount of oscillation of the rock-shaft P, thevibratory movement of the latter is regulated by the distance of thepivotal connection of the rod 0 from the axial line of rotation of thecrankshaft L, which point being adjustable it is evident that themovement of the feed-rollers can be regulated at pleasure to produce anylength of feed desired. The material being cut is prevented fromfollowing the upward movement of the knife by a cross-bar, S, extendingbetween the posts 0 0, directly above a wear-plate, s, on the upper sideof the crossbar, F. I

I am aware that feed-cutters have been provided with a pair offeed-rollers, the one mounted in fixed the other in movable bearings,and that ratchet-disks have been keyed to such rollers, and pawlsprovided to engage said ratchet-disks and give the rollers a positi vefeed in the operation of the cutter, and do not claim such as myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

In a feed-cutter, the combination of a Verti cally-reciprocating knife,a crankshaft suitably connectedtherewith to actuate the same, a pair offeed-rollers, the one mounted in fixed the other in movable bearings,ratchetdisks keyed to said rollers, the one on the movable roller havingthe teeth formed on the side thereof, a rock-shaft actuated from thecrank-shaft, the pawl Q, pivoted to a crankarm of the rock-shaft andacting directly on the ratchet-wheel of the fixed roller, the pawl R,having one end sleeved on the journal of the movable roller and providedwith a side lug, r, to engage the teeth on the side of the ratchet-diskof the movable roller, and the link R, pivoted to the free end of thepawl'R' and to the pawl Q and extending in the same direction as thepawl Q, whereby the force applied to each feed-roller is nearly equal,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.JAMES OLIVER HOLTZMAN.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN CLARKE, DAVID CLARKE.

